


Kitten

by chasingthebooty



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossdressing, Eren Wears Glasses, Geek/Bad Boy AU, M/M, Nerd!Eren, Nicknames, bad boy!levi, eren wears panties, kind of?, levi's not much of a bad boy though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-10
Updated: 2015-08-10
Packaged: 2018-04-13 21:21:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4537842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingthebooty/pseuds/chasingthebooty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi's pining after a genius college student who serves him white mocha latte's on a nearly daily basis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kitten

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't going to post this... but then I thought, whatever. It's already written. So why not.

             “Levi, are you even listening to me?”

            “No.”

            “Huh- I- You can’t at least _pretend_ to be _-_ ”

            “No.”

            Levi feels a fist connect lightly to his bicep, and he shifts his gaze over to glare at Petra. Petra must be used to getting odd looks from Levi by now, though, as she merely juts out her lower lip in a pout, sinking down into her seat across from him. Levi keeps his eyes on her for only a moment longer, before sighing and leaning forward so that his chin’s resting in his palm.

            “You know, Levi,” Petra murmurs, her pout morphing into a smug grin, “You’re not exactly subtle.”

            “Hah?”

            “You’ve been staring at him for a while, now,” Petra continues, “I’ll be surprised if he hasn’t noticed.”

            Levi narrows his eyes at her briefly, before looking back over - it’s become a force of habit, at this point. He feels lost and, admittedly, a little empty inside when he doesn’t have a certain pair of long legs and pretty tanned cheeks in his sights. Even so much as having to glare at Petra for what was likely only about thirty seconds of his time, Levi felt his heartrate increase, anxiety twisting at his chest from the loss. And all he did was _look away,_ it’s not like he actually did something perilous. The only risk that Levi had put himself through was the threat of his sweet brown-haired kitten getting up and walking away without Levi knowing exactly which way he’s going.

            “Still can’t keep your eyes off of him?” Petra teases, “You should just go ahead and ask him out. It’d make his day.”

            “Fuck off.”

            “I’m trying to _help_ you.”

            “Hardly.”

            “ _I_ could ask him out for you. I’ll tell him about all the times I’ve caught you staring at him.”

            “Don’t you fucking _dare._ ”

            “Why are you so grumpy today?”

            “Maybe because I have to deal with your shit.”

            “I don’t think Eren’s going to want to be with someone who’s so _angry._ ”

            “I’m not angry.”

            Petra’s silent for a moment, so Levi glances back to see that _she’s_ now eyeing the boy that Levi’s felt himself drawn to, Eren _fucking_ Jaeger.

            It’s no question, as to whether Petra thinks his infatuation with Eren is unusual or not. It _is._ It’s completely weird. Eren’s nothing like Levi, excluding the fact that they’re both male humans.

            Eren’s practically a _genius,_ and he spends most of his time reading and studying - even now, he sits across the mall in a little booth, a little bag to his right, and in front of him, a boy with long blond hair and bright blue eyes sits, talking animatedly with Eren. Even though they’re in a food court, Levi doesn’t see any food around them, leading Levi to believe that they’re not going to be staying for a while. Hence why Levi refuses to so much as look at Petra for more than a moment, much less try eating the pizza that she’d bought for the two of them to share. Petra’s having no trouble downing the entire thing on her own, so Levi really doesn’t feel an ounce of regret for her having spent money on him.

            “You really should just go and talk to him. _Unless,_ ” Petra says, lowering her voice, “You’re _jealous?_ Of the blondie? Little coconut head?”

            “I’m not-”

            “It’d make sense. For them to be dating, I mean. They’re both smart. They probably like the same things. I’ll bet they’ve at _least_ kissed before.”

            “Shut _up,_ Petra.”

            “Maybe they’ve done more than that, too. I’ll bet blondie has a thing for your boyfriend. What if they’re friends with benefits? Or-”

            “ _Petra,_ ” Levi hisses, “ _Shut up._ ”

            Petra quiets down at that, a little giggle escaping her throat. Levi sees her, out of the corner of his eye, slumping back into her chair and pulling out her phone - she must be finally resigning to the fact that Levi’s not going to be paying her much attention from this point forward.

            It’s not that he doesn’t like her. He does. She’s one of his best friends. He’d be willing to pay her his full regard, if they were anywhere but _here._ There’s something about merely being in the same room with Eren that lures Levi’s eyes away from where they should be, that dries his throat into an uncomfortable state and makes his toes curl inside his shoes with anticipation.

            Petra’s not wrong, though. Levi _is_ a _teensy, tiny, microscopically, little bit_ jealous of whoever the fuck the coconut head sitting by Eren is. What if he’s flirting? _Levi’s_ the one who should be flirting with Eren. _He’s_ the one who’s had a liking for him for several months now. Blondie can go fuck himself.

            The food court is relatively empty - it’s too early in the morning for a lot of people to be around. In fact, it’s a little too early to be eating _pizza,_ of all things, but Petra defends herself with, _“There’s never a wrong time for pizza,_ ” and, _“Pizza’s one of those foods that cheers you up, so it’s okay to eat it whenever you want to.”_

            Which is bullshit. But Levi doesn’t care, because Petra’s love for pizza allows enough downtime for Levi to admire Eren and the slight arch of his back, the way his hair falls in a disarray, and his _glasses._

            Eren, in all honesty, wears the ugliest glasses that Levi’s ever seen. They’re huge and round, dark rims, and there’s a piece of tape on the side where the glasses must’ve broken and Eren’s tried to repair them.

            Alone, the glasses are shit. Utter _shit._

            But on Eren? Eren makes the glasses look beautiful. Eren’s lush green irises are accentuated by the magnifying of the glass, and though his eyebrows are slightly obscured by the frame, whenever Levi _does_ manage to get a glimpse of them, it’s like he’s struck gold. Eren’s hair looks so soft, and it’s always a fight for Levi to not shove his fingers in the chestnut-colored strands and feel around, bathing himself in Eren’s precious touch. He’d give anything for a moment to run his thumb over Eren’s eyebrows, maybe even kiss them, if the opportunity allowed for such.

            Levi’s had a liking for Eren ever since they first talked, so long ago - Levi had wandered into the coffee shop that Eren works in, and from the moment that Eren spoke up to take his order, Levi’s found himself falling for him. It’s _stupid,_ because Levi’s never been so infatuated ever before, and for _this_ guy? He’s essentially the very definition of a _nerd._ Big glasses, thin limbs, not too popular, incredibly smart - after Levi’s first visit to Eren’s workplace, days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, and now Levi’s a regular there. Levi doesn’t even _like_ coffee. He’s _hardly_ a fan of tea.

            But Levi goes back, every weekday. Weekdays are when Eren works. From three in the afternoon to eight. Not that Levi’s ever bothered to sit there and wait the entire time while Eren’s been on his shift, just to find out what his hours were.

            Except, _maybe_ he had. Levi’s not even sure if Eren noticed, though. He had the same cute smile over his lips every time he came back to check and see if Levi was okay, never once giving him an disgusted look or a sneer. Eren’s a sweetheart, if he _had_ noticed, too - Levi had to have looked like shit, sitting in the same seat for hours on end, drinking cup after cup of white mocha latte. Really, he’d only drank it because it was _coffee,_ and coffee’s supposed to keep people up, but all it did was make Levi have stomach issues for the rest of the night.

            Levi knows a little more about Eren than he probably should, having only ever really talked to Eren a few times to order shit-inducing latte’s and bland tea. But Levi, himself, has a fair amount of friends, several of which are masters at finding out information. Petra included - she was the one who let it slip to Levi that Eren has a preference towards men, but how she found that out is beyond him.

            “I’m telling you, Levi,” Petra nudges his leg under the table between them, “If you don’t say _something_ to him now, you’re gonna lose him. Blondie’s got lust in his eyes.”

            “He does _not._ ”

            “And how would you know?”

            “I just do. How do _you_ know that’s what it is?”

            “I don’t. I’m just messing with you.”

            Levi shoots her an exasperated look, but he wills all of his might together in order to stand up. His chest aches, and his cheeks feel cold, his fingers numb as he loses touch with exactly what he’s doing - Petra must’ve gotten to him, because Levi’s actually _walking over to Eren,_ his head held high, his body posture confident while his insides are anything but.

            Levi can’t have his kitten be stolen away by some guy that Levi’s never even seen with Eren before. Levi’s not about to let months of _want_ go to absolute waste just because he’s a little bitch who can’t get his shit together just enough to ask Eren to hang out.

            But what’s Levi even going to say? He has no clue. He’s not even sure if Eren will recognize him. He _should,_ Levi’s specifically requested that he be served coffee by none other than Eren for the past few months, but what if he _doesn’t?_ Maybe Eren saves all of his brainpower for math problems. It wouldn’t be surprising. Eren can’t be a genius at _everything._

            Eren’s a student at the same university that Levi attends, thus why Levi’s aware that Eren’s so smart. But Levi hadn’t cared to pay him any mind until he’d caught sight of what Eren _truly_ looks and acts like, when he’d first heard that sweet voice say precious words to him, a thin green apron tied around his waist, a smile that could make wilting flowers bloom into perfection. Eren’s a few years younger than Levi is - he’s a freshman, while Levi’s already a senior. That’s not going to stop Levi’s heart from growing affectionate for the coffee-serving angel, though.

            Maybe Levi should wait until he’s ordering coffee before asking Eren to do anything with him. It’d be a more peaceful scenery, and Eren would be more likely to recognize him _that_ way rather than if Levi approaches him in the middle of a food court.

            But Levi’s already halfway there, and judging by the gasp he heard sound from Petra as he walked away from her, there’s no going back now.

            Levi uses quick strides to make his way over, and it’s only when he’s a few feet away does Eren shift, grabbing his bag and standing up in one swift movement. Blondie’s up and heading in the opposite direction, but Eren - Eren moves right in Levi’s line of travel, and it’s a little too late when Levi realizes what’s happened.

            Levi collides with Eren, and though Levi himself isn't affected too harshly by the connection of their bodies together, Eren, on the other hand, is shoved to the floor, limbs spread out and hair thrown awry. There’s a little _thud_ as he lands, and the parts of Levi’s body that had felt Eren sting with a want for more touches.

            Eren’s lying on the ground, knocked onto his ass by none other than Levi. Levi obviously hadn’t _meant_ to push Eren over, but nonetheless, he had done so, and Eren, being the weaker of the two, took the hit. Levi’s still upright, but Eren is much less fortunate. The little bag he’d been holding is thrown to the side, its contents spilled over, and Eren’s on his back, face red and eyes wide. He stares up at Levi, green irises glossed over with his embarrassment.

            “ _Shit,_ ” Levi mutters, kneeling down to Eren’s level. He holds out a hand for him and helps Eren up into a sitting position. “I’m-”

            “ _I’m so sorry,_ ” Eren gasps, “I didn’t- I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry, are you okay? I wasn’t looking, I’m so _sorry-_ ”

            Levi blinks, hand still grasping Eren’s. It takes him a moment to process it, but Eren’s _apologizing?_ To _Levi?_ Levi’s the one who knocked him over. If anything, it should be Levi who’s begging for forgiveness.

            “I, ah. It’s fine,” Levi murmurs. His eyes graze over from Eren to take a look at what he’s dropped, and he reaches a hand out to try and help him pick the contents up, but Eren stops him with fingers digging roughly into his forearm.

            “I’m sorry,” Eren repeats, “I- I can do this, by myself, you don’t have to-”

            As soon as Levi takes a good look at what’s been dropped, it suddenly becomes clear as to why Eren’s so nervous. All of the apologizing, the flushed cheeks, the way he’d grabbed hold of Levi’s arm for dear life - Levi’s little kitten didn’t just drop anything normal, like books or maybe even a new pair of glasses, like one would expect from a _geek_ like him.

            Strewn across the floor behind him are _dozens_ of pairs of panties, all varying in color but all bright hues. Levi swears that his heart stops completely, but judging by the fact that he’s still alive, he knows that can’t be true.

            “ _Please,_ ” Eren continues, releasing Levi’s arm as he frantically turns around to start gathering up the undergarments, “Just go away, I can handle it.”

            Levi’s finding it hard to breathe. _Eren?_ In tight, revealing lingerie? And are those _thigh highs_ that Levi sees?

            Levi only gets a glimpse of the underwear, but he can tell that they aren’t just ugly granny panties. No, Eren’s gone all out, lingerie with bows on the sides, panties varying from bright, pastel pinks to dark, sexy blacks, thigh highs with vertical purple and white stripes and what looks to be cat ears at the very tops. Imagining Eren in that kind of wear sends not only Levi’s _heart_ in motion, but also a few other areas that he’d rather not mention.

            Levi would assume that maybe Eren’s carrying these around for someone else, but considering how quickly he gathers the clothing up and shoves it back in his bag, Levi’s having a hard time doubting that Eren’s the not-so-proud owner of the panties and thigh highs.

            Eren scrambles up to his feet, having collected all of the underwear from the floor. Levi follows him, straightening himself out and trying to maintain his composure. It’s hard, though, because all Levi can think about is _Eren in thin fabrics, Eren wrapping those golden legs over Levi’s shoulders, Levi pulling down Eren’s lingerie with his teeth,_ and _has Eren been wearing panties the entire time that Levi’s known him? Fuck. Fuck fuck_ fuck.

            Eren, with one more choked apology, steps aside from Levi and dashes away with his head held down. Levi would go after him, but it seems like Eren’s had enough human interaction for one day.

            “ _Smooth,_ Levi,” Petra taunts as Levi trudges his way back into the seat across from her, “You looked like a statue. Hardly moved, I wouldn’t be surprised if you weren’t even breathing.”

            Levi’s throat is too dry to speak, so he merely sends her a deadly scowl. She laughs at it, though, finding immense joy in Levi’s situation. Levi can’t say that he doesn’t deserve it - after blatantly ignoring Petra for who-knows-how-long, this can only be considered his karma.

            “How much of that did you see?” Levi chokes out through gritted teeth.

            “I saw where you knocked him over. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but he looked pretty upset.”

            “ _Fuck._ ”

            “You’re _fine_ , Levi,” Petra reassures. “Don’t beat yourself up over it. You’ll get another chance with him, I _promise._ ”

            “Weren’t you just making fun of me?” Levi mutters - Eren’s gone, so all Levi has left to stare at is the depleting source of pizza set out in front of him and the melting ice cubes of his drink. He could look at Petra, of course, but he’s afraid that if he does, he’ll only find either her smirking at him, a smug grin on her face, or her with her eyebrows drawn together, pity tainting her pretty features.

            “I’d rather think of it as _teasing._ ”

            “I’d rather think of it as _you’re a fucking bitch._ ”

            “This is _exactly_ what I mean when I say that you’re grouchy.”

            “Petra?”

            “Huh?”

            “Do you think Eren likes me?”

            Petra’s silent for a moment, and Levi meets her gaze. Her lips upturn at that, a smile over her face as she reaches over and grabs one of the last few slices of pizza left, holding onto it with her bare hands. Levi makes a mental note to not touch her grease-infested fingers from here on out.

            “I think he does,” Petra grins. “And if he doesn’t, he might start to, once he finds out how you feel about him.”

            “How, ah, how should I tell him?”

            “I duh know,” Petra shrugs, her voice muffled as she takes a bite of her food, “What do boys like? Buy him a car or somethin’.”

            “You’re fucking kidding me.”

                                                                                                             ~|~

            Fuck everything.

            Levi’s supposed to be studying for a test. He has an exam in one of his classes in less than twenty-four hours, an _important_ exam that’ll count for a huge chunk of his grade. It’s for a shitty science class, a class that he really shouldn’t have to take, considering he’s not even going for a degree that has _anything_ to do with science.

            Levi wants to be a police officer. Not just an ordinary, fresh-out-of-high-school sort of job, either, he wants to be able to go up in the rankings and ward off criminals with his rather impressive biceps and nimble body.

            Levi might be known as a bad boy around school, but that doesn’t mean that he does _bad things._ Really, Levi suspects that most of his reputation merely comes from the fact that he _looks_ scary, rather than the fact that he _is_ scary. Looking the way that he does helps, though, in that his narrowed eyes alone have been able to ward off a fair number of people.

            Levi hadn’t gone into college thinking much about whether he’d be able to protect his loved ones or not, he’d had his mind set more on defending society as a whole - but, if it comes down to it, he’d gladly shield a certain someone from incoming fire.

_A certain someone_ , meaning, the boy who hobbles up to him with Levi’s traditional white mocha shit in hand, his apron bouncing over his knees as he walks as fast as he can towards Levi. Levi wants to slap himself - he’s finding it nearly _impossible_ to remove his eyes from Eren’s legs, because _holy shit, what if he’s wearing cute underwear? He_ does _have a rather nice ass. Perfect size for grabbing. Perfectly round, too, and-_

            “One white chocolate mocha latte, sized small, _just for you,_ ” Eren cheers, and Levi’s heart flips at the sound of his voice. He holds his hands out, collecting the drink with a little nod.

            “Thank you,” Levi mutters, moving his eyes up to Eren’s face. He has a teensy smile over his face, his eyes an indulgent shade of hunter green. His glasses are a little low on his features, but it doesn’t seem to bother Eren. The glasses by themselves are so large, he could probably wear them on the very end of his nose and it wouldn’t matter.

            It’s cute. _Eren’s_ cute.

            Levi wants Eren. So badly. In every way possible. Whether it be to have someone to kiss and hug or whether it be to have someone to keep out of harm’s way. Levi wants him. More than anything else, right now.

            It hurts, because Levi’s never had feelings for someone like this before. He’s had crushes, sure, but he’s never sat and waited for said love to make the first move for _months_ on end. Levi’s always had just enough confidence in himself to try and ask his crush out, and if they said no, he could move on. But if _Eren_ says no, Levi’s not sure if he can handle it. Eren’s special, he’s _different,_ in that he’s so smart and so beautiful, in that he doesn’t have a standing as someone who sleeps around with people and smokes inside the school bathrooms.

            He might wear provocative lingerie, but Levi has yet to hear of Eren doing naughty things with a single soul. And Levi’s just a _little_ glad for that, because _he’d_ really rather be the one who shows Eren how well a man can pleasure him.

            Levi sits back, crossing his legs by setting his ankle on his knee and perching his arm over the back of his chair. He sits in the corner of Eren’s coffee shop, just far away enough that the smell of mingling beverages doesn’t make him gag, but rather just hints at his nostrils. Eren turns away to leave, giving Levi a short nod, but Levi grips onto his wrist, stopping him with a moment of panic.

            “I, uh, _Eren_ ,” Levi tries, “I’m sorry.”

            “Wha?”

            “I bumped into you earlier this week, remember? I’m sorry for that.”

            Eren’s face immediately turns a bright scarlet. He removes himself from Levi’s grasp, shying away with a brief, “It’s fine.”

            Levi remembers it clearly. Their run-in at he mall had been on a Friday, but because Eren doesn’t work on the weekends, Levi had two whole days to lament his mistake. He’d gone from internally punching himself in the gut for hurting Eren and embarrassing him, to trying to reassure himself that everything’s fine, that _Eren’s_ fine, that Eren won’t be upset at him.

            And _maybe_ a few thoughts of Eren in bright pink panties infiltrated his brain at several points. Not that Levi minds, of course.

            Today’s a Monday, and even though Levi’s had over forty-eight hours to prepare himself for this mentally, his body still isn’t ready.

            “I was, uh, kind of hoping you wouldn’t bring it up again,” Eren murmurs, his eyes glassy. Levi wants to kick himself.

            “So you recognized me?”

            “Was I not supposed to?” Eren asks, “I mean, you come here every day, don’t you?”

            Levi feels relief wash over him - Eren _has_ noticed him. Eren’s noticed him, and he _remembers_ him, too.

            But as soon as the relief takes over, it’s followed up with a feeling of anxiety. How much has Eren noticed? Does Eren notice, does Eren even _care_ , those days where Levi walks in with a storm cloud above his head, does he see and understand the longing looks that Levi gives him?

            It’s not likely. If Eren _does_ have an awareness of the situation, why wouldn’t he say anything? Levi doesn’t like the thought that maybe Eren just doesn’t return his feelings.

            Levi can’t think of a reason for Eren to like him, though. Levi’s never done anything for him. He’s hardly even _talked_ to him before. Eren probably just sees him as he would any other customer, just someone to make happy for their time with him, just someone to give coffee to and take money from.

            But Levi’s training to be a police officer. And one of the skills required for that job is _confidence_ and the ability to take _risks._

Asking Eren out is a risk. A risk that he’s willing to take.

            “Hey, Eren,” Levi says, “Do you have a few minutes? To talk.”

            “I, uh, sure, but how- how do you know my name?”

            “It’s on your name tag, kitten.”

            _Kitten?_ Levi hadn’t meant for it to slip out, but it _had,_ the little nickname he’s made for Eren in his head. He’s not too sure when it started, but one day he found himself daydreaming of Eren, petting back the soft locks of his hair, kissing his forehead, calling him his little pet. Levi hadn’t thought the name to be kinky, though, he’d meant for it to be a loving nickname, a name he’d use for Eren when they’re at an intimate distance.

            Levi’s screwed if Eren doesn’t take kindly to nicknames like that. This is Levi’s first and, likely, _only_ chance to woo Eren over. He has to try everything he can to not fuck it up.

            “Take a seat,” Levi motions over to the chair across from him. Eren stares at it for a moment, before accepting the offering, placing his butt on the seat and putting his legs under the table. He looks nervous, but Levi can’t blame him - if he’s right in his suspicions, Levi's essentially found out exactly what sort of underwear Eren likes to wear. And if Levi had been the one walking around the mall with a bag full of lingerie, only to be flirted with the very next day by the same guy who pushed him over and discovered what he wears underneath his pants, well, Levi would give the guy a black eye.

            Eren’s a sweetheart, though. Levi’s never seen him throw a fit or hurt anybody on purpose. In fact, it’s almost rare to see Eren without a huge smile on his lips. It’s one of the _many_ things that Levi likes about him - how he always goes from customer to customer with a grin on his face, how his eyes are always lit up in the hallways of their university whenever Levi _does_ manage to see him, how he never fails to find Eren in the library, nose shoved in a book.

            Maybe Levi _has_ been watching Eren more closely than he thought he’d been.

            “Ere-”

            “What’s _your_ name?” Eren blurts out, interrupting Levi. Levi blinks, but responds.

            “Levi,” he states, and then he adds, “Ackerman.”

            “Oh. I think I’ve heard of you before.”

            “Have you?” Levi raises his eyebrows.

            “I think we go to the same school together.”

            “We do.”

            “Hah.” Eren looks a little taken aback, but then he says, “How old are you?”

            “Senior.”

            “That doesn’t really tell me your _age._ ”

            Levi smirks. Of course the smartest kid in the school would be a bit snarky. “Twenty-two. And you?”

            “Nineteen.”

            “You’re so young,” Levi teases, setting his coffee down on the table and leaning his elbows beside it. “Especially for someone who wears the _things_ that you do.”

            “What if I told you that those weren’t mine?”

            “Then I wouldn’t believe you.”

            “Why not?”

            “I’ll bet you’re wearing them right now.”

            “That doesn’t answer my question.”

            “What was your question? Did it have anything to do with asking me out on a date? Because I really don’t mind, if that’s the case.”

            Eren’s at a loss for words, but he has the _cutest_ smile on his face, a smile that lights up the eyes behind his glasses. His posture has relaxed, as he now has his elbows resting on the arms of his chair, his neck extended and shoulders far from tense. His head’s tilted slightly to the side, allowing a few strands of hair to fall over his forehead in such a way that it compels Levi to reach a hand over and try to swat them away.

            “Wait,” Eren says after a few seconds of silence, his smile dying down, “Are you being serious?”

            “About what?”

            “Going on a date with me.”

            “‘Course. Why not?” Levi shrugs, as if his heart _isn’t_ trying to kill him right now.

            “I mean, it’s just, we’ve essentially just met. Isn’t it too soon?”

            “What better way to get to know each other other than going out for a bit?”

            Eren gives Levi an apprehensive look, but his smile returns soon after, even bigger than it had been before Levi uttered the few words he’d been dying to say this entire time.

            “When’s the date?” Eren asks.

            “Right now, kitten. I hope you dressed nicely.”

                                                                                                             ~|~

            “I took your advice, Petra,” Levi says, leaning back against the door of her room. Levi lives close enough to the university that he himself doesn’t have to settle for living in one of the spaces that the college provides, but Petra’s less fortunate - her home is a good two hours away, so she’s settled on staying at the university on weekdays and going home every weekend. She supposedly shares the room with two other girls, but Levi’s only ever seen one of them around - _Hanji._

Hanji’s actually the reason that Levi knows Petra in the first place. Levi knew Hanji in high school, and when they started university together - at the same school, of course, because not only is it widely considered to be one of the best in the area, but also because Levi had mentioned once that he had a few fears about going off to college alone, and Hanji apparently took his words to heart - Hanji became friends with Petra, having been assigned as her roommate for freshmen year. Levi had met Petra when he’d come to visit Hanji one day, picking her up so that the two of them could go out together, and Petra had just so happened to be lounging on their couch, eating Chinese food. Petra must like Hanji well enough, as they’ve been roommates pretty much all four years that they’ve been here.

            Needless to say, Petra and Levi, too, became pretty good friends. At least close enough that Levi can be open with her about who he likes.

            “Oh?” Petra says, dropping her phone on the table beside the couch. She pats the cushion next to her, pouting when Levi doesn’t take the offering to sit by her. “Wait, what advice?”

            “To ask Eren out.”

            “ _Oh?_ ” she grins, clapping her hands together and leaning forward with interest, “And?”

            “We’re dating, now.”

            Petra stands up, cheering for Levi rather loudly. She scuttles over to him and gives him a tight hug, squeezing his waist rather uncomfortably and digging her nose sharply into Levi’s chest.

            “I knew it!” she exclaims, backing off of Levi, “I knew he’d say yes!”

            After Levi had declared their sitting together as a date so many hours ago, he and Eren talked for hours, until the sky had turned dark outside and the shop was closing. Levi had found out so many little things about Eren that he had no clue about previously - like how Eren’s studying to be a computer engineer, or like how Eren used to wear glasses that weren’t round and unattractive, but they’d broken, and he just hasn’t gotten around to going back and getting a new pair. The big glasses that he wears now are the glasses that he owned at the end of his middle school years, and the prescription's too weak for his eyes. But he wears them, because he doesn’t have anything else better at the moment. He’s been too swamped with schoolwork and coffee serving to go out and get some new glasses.

            Levi made sure to tell Eren how much he likes his current frames, though. Which prompted a light blush from Eren and a certain shine that Levi hadn’t ever seen in his pupils before. If he had to guess, he’d say that it’s admiration towards Levi, but that’s just Levi being hopeful.

            Eren seems to like him well enough. About two hours into their little talk - Eren having only gotten up a few times to refill Levi’s coffee, which Levi actually hadn’t drank a sip of, but rather, _Eren_ had drunken the entire thing - Levi felt Eren’s feet against his, and soon enough the two of them were playing with each other verbally as well as secretly, their clothed toes rubbing against each other’s calves slowly. A little giggle or smirk would escape their lips every so often, like when Levi would manage to capture Eren’s foot between his under the table.

            Levi had been reluctant to leave Eren. But he promised to come back the next day. It’s not like he wouldn’t have, though, because Levi’s kept up his streak of coffee drinking for several months now, and it’s all just so that he could get glimpses of Eren. It’d feel weird, for him to halt all of that. It’s like it’s a hobby - Levi forces shitty drinks down his throat, his eyes every now and then shifting up from where he would have his sights trained on a spot of filth on the floor so that he can see what Eren’s doing. It’s usually nothing too interesting - it tends to just be Eren carrying a box into the room and unloading the contents onto a counter, or Eren cleaning the tables, or Eren taking orders, or, hell, sometimes Levi gets lost in watching the way that Eren’s mouth moves when he talks. It’s not a unique pattern, but it still enthralls Levi, seeing how Eren’s lips part to speak, how his jaw drops in mock surprise, the flick of his tongue at certain words.

            Levi’s got it bad. He’s not sure how it happened, but he’s allowed himself to fall head over heels for a boy who seems to spend most of his time either studying or waiting on tables. Levi’s screwed if Eren ever finds out about who he is and his reputation, because Levi has a _bad_ standing in school. Lies and rumors, mostly, but nonetheless, Eren’s bound to believe anything that he’s told about Levi. Levi has a very questionable aura about him. A _bad boy_ aura. And not necessarily the good kind of bad boy.

            “So?” Petra says with an eyebrow raise.

            “So?”

            “What did you guys do? Did you kiss? Did you hug? What happened to the coconut guy? And-”

            “I’m not telling you all of that.”

            “Why not?”

            “Because you don’t need to know.”

            “If you tell me now, I promise to tell it all to Hanji later, so that you won’t have to.”

            “No.”

            “ _Why?_ ”

            “Because _you don’t need to know._ ”

            “You’re mean.”

            “Least I’m not nosy.”

            “Nosy, maybe not, but you _are_ grouchy.”

            “ _Fuck you._ ”

                                                                                                             ~|~

            Levi feels like he’s about to start hyperventilating.

            Eren’s supposed to be coming over, to his _house,_ and he’s due to show up at any moment now. Levi had invited him over to study, though Levi obviously hadn’t had it in his mind that they were going to be actually _studying,_ unless said studying involves Levi learning how smoothly Eren’s lower back transitions into his ass.

            They’ve been dating for about a week now. Their first five days together consisted of Levi hanging out with Eren for his entire shift, and then feeling empty once Eren had to leave to go home. He’d exchanged numbers with him somewhere along the way, and by the time that the weekend rolled around, Levi spent most of it on the phone texting Eren. And Hanji, too, but Hanji’s the kind of person who’s _always_ texting Levi. Petra’s less inclined to do so, but that doesn’t upset Levi. Levi had _enough_ trouble trying to keep up with the constant stream of texts that Hanji would send, five completely different conversations going on at once with her versus the occasional cute little flirty texts that he’d get from Eren every half hour or so.

            And _maybe_ Levi felt anxious each time that Eren took more than sixty minutes to respond. _Maybe._

            Levi’s going insane, trying to clean his house and get it spiffy and neat for his new lover. In hindsight, he probably _does_ need to study, considering the test that he was supposed to have the day after he’d asked Eren out was tough as shit and Levi’s at least ninety percent certain that he failed it. One test won’t kill him, he’s decided - but what _might_ kill him, is if Eren walks through the front door and slips on something because Levi had forgotten to dry the floors after mopping. He can’t let Eren get hurt. He can hardly bear to see him with a frown, how the hell is he supposed to be fine with him getting injured in Levi’s own home?

            Levi whips his head around to look at the front entrance. It’s the area that he’s cleaned the most, having run over the doorknobs at least fifty times with Windex and having scrubbed the floors so intensely that they shine even with the lights off.

            Levi scurries over to the door, trying to find something that needs to be cleaned again. There’s always the door hinges - if those things get too rusty, they could potentially fall apart, leading to the downfall of the actual door and hence the squishing of his lover like a bug. No way in hell is Levi about to let Eren become cockroach material.

            Levi dashes into the kitchen, and he tears open one of the drawers in search of something that he can use to clean off the metal with. He’s in the midst of crawling through a cabinet when the doorbell rings, leading to Levi bumping his head harshly against the frame of the cabinet in his scramble to get back to the door. He swears his heart drops to his stomach at the thought of Eren being just outside his house.

            Levi does, however, make sure to straighten the nice shirt he’d decided to wear just for Eren before opening the door. He might have a throbbing head, having just nailed it against rough wood, but he’d rather look nice whilst in pain instead of looking _and_ feeling like shit in front of his new boyfriend.

            “Levi!” Eren cheers once the entrance is open, his voice like melting chocolate. It’s smooth, and Levi wants nothing more than to press his mouth to Eren’s and eat up the bits of dessert that he can via moans. Eren himself is like a giant cake, new surprises in each bite - his voice is the chocolate coating, but his fingers and the touch of his warm skin is the second layer of frosting hidden inside all of fluffy dessert, and right in the center lies the unexpected dash of cookie bits, Eren’s personality. The thing that deserves to be savored most, the thing that everyone looks forward to and cherishes. The thing that Levi’s trying to pull out of Eren, trying to get as much of, trying to steal away from other onlookers. Levi just so happens to be a bit selfish when it comes to eating cake.

            “Eren,” Levi nods, allowing Eren to walk inside. Levi holds onto the door a little tighter than usual - the door hinges will _not_ fail him today. Not that they’ve ever actually failed him, but Levi’s become paranoid about protecting his precious kitten.

            “I love your house,” Eren comments, pulling a backpack off of his shoulders. Levi closes the door and comes over, placing a hand on Eren’s lower back, leading him into the living room. “It smells really, uh, _clean_  in here.”

            “I would hope so,” Levi mutters, “Only spent, what, five hours on it?”

            “ _What?_ ”

            “Nothing. Sit down.”

            Eren follows Levi’s order, setting himself on the couch in the center of the room. His backpack falls to the floor at his feet, and Eren immediately starts on pulling things out. First comes a notebook, which Eren lazily tosses onto the ground, along with the textbooks and pencils that he practically pours out. Levi’s inclined to tell him off for _already_ ruining the neatness of Levi’s freshly prepared house, but _damn_ , Eren’s cute when he’s bent over, little grunts escaping his throat as he takes item after item from his backpack, emptying the thing.

            There’s the faint sound of a _click_ or a ruffle of pages together with each product that hits Levi’s hardwood floors. Levi lives alone, with the exception of the stray cat that comes up to his doorstep every other night - Levi hadn’t any intentions of keeping the cat around, but the poor shit kept coming back and back and back, night after night, so Levi eventually gave in and started feeding the thing. Which, of course, only made the situation worse - Levi might as well _own_ the cat now, considering he’s invested more than enough money in cat food now and hangs outside his front door before bedtime to make sure that the cat stays healthy.

            If Eren ends up staying with Levi, Levi’s pretty certain that his situation with the cat is only going to get worse. Eren’s explicitly stated that he _loves_ animals and children, and the second that he learns about the stray who wanders up Levi’s front steps every so often, Levi just knows that he’s going to have to put up with the filthy thing on a more regular basis. But Levi doesn’t mind. If it makes Eren happy, it makes Levi happy.

            Eren’s a sweetheart. Full of smiles and cookie filling, full of sensational touches and chocolate coating.

            “So, I was thinking,” Eren says, sitting up straight. He pulls a textbook into his lap just as Levi takes his place on the cushion next to him. “We’ll start with math, since you said last week that it’s one of your weakest subjects. You said that you’re taking algebra, so it shouldn’t be too-”

            Levi’s already lost. Or, more specifically, he’s already _bored out of his fucking mind._ He didn’t think Eren would be so thick, to think that a guy who looks and acts like Levi actually wants to _study,_ but Levi supposes that he shouldn’t be surprised. He’s known that Eren spends a lot of time on schoolwork. Why _wouldn’t_ he take an offering to study so seriously?

            Levi lets out the softest of sighs, leaning back and crossing his arms. Eren’s opened the textbook, and his mouth is running on and on about trying to decide which formula they should go over first. It’s cute to see Eren so passionate about something, but _goddamn, why couldn’t Eren be obsessed with something more interesting? Even_ coffee _is a better hobby than going over shitty math problems._

            “ _Oh,_ ” Eren gasps, “This, this is one of my favorites, Levi, are you familiar with the distance formula?”

            “Uh.”

            Eren waits a moment, biting onto his lower lip as he waits for an in-depth response from Levi. When nothing comes, he murmurs, “I guess, um, we’ll have to start with that, maybe?”

            Levi internally groans - is he _really_ going to sit here and pretend to listen while Eren rants on about stupid formulas and equations? Levi has enough trouble listening to his friend Hanji when she goes on a rampage about this or that - Hanji’s a _very_ passionate person, but she’s always been that way. She’s always running her mouth about this or that, explaining everything that she knows to Levi, from how airplanes work to why she refuses to use strawberry scented shampoo. Whether she communicates it via text or whether it comes out verbally, she’s _always_ going on about _something._

            “Okay, so, listen, Levi, the distance formula is what you use when-”

            A yawn threatens at Levi’s mouth, but he chomps his teeth down on his lip to halt it. While Eren’s speech itself might be already boring the fuck out of him, Levi must admit - Eren is a total _babe._ His legs are long, his lower body full of those curves that any man would kill to get his hands on, thighs just begging to be touched and full lips, lips a rich red against tan skin. His fingers dance over the page in the textbook below him, as he tries to point small things out to Levi, but Levi couldn’t care less. Eren’s fingers don’t belong in a textbook. They belong on Levi’s body. They belong intertwined with his, they belong on his back, leaving scratches, and they belong in Levi’s hair.

            Levi can’t take it anymore. He’s known as a bad boy for a reason, and that reason is _not_ because he sits around with attractive freshmen, listening to their speeches about _distance formulas._

            Levi reaches a hand out, gripping Eren’s shoulder to get his attention. As soon as Eren lifts his head and meets Levi’s eyes, their lips are together, the textbook being shoved to the side by Levi and Eren’s back being pushed into the cushions. Levi grabs one of Eren’s legs and sweeps him down so that he’s positioned right under Levi’s torso as Levi attacks his mouth.

            Eren’s frozen, not moving while Levi tries his hardest to deepen the kiss with swipes from his tongue and the occasional slow nibble of Levi’s teeth to Eren’s bottom lip. Eren doesn’t respond for what feels like an eternity, and Levi’s heart starts to race when he feels Eren shifting, their mouths now moving in a rhythm with each other.

            Eren’s clearly less experienced, as his jaw moves slowly, and he doesn’t get the hint that Levi wants inside until Levi’s practically drooling on his chin. Once Levi’s inside, however, he does his best to explore every bit of Eren that he can get to, tasting all that is _Eren._ Eren doesn’t put up a fight for dominance, which pleases Levi, though he’d be fine with a little wrestling if Eren were up to it. He has practice - Levi _has_ dated a fair number of people in his lifetime, so he’s put his tongue to good use _many_ times in past.

            Eren releases a long groan against Levi, and Levi pulls a hand up to caress his cheeks - Eren’s _burning._ His skin feels like an oven, warming Levi’s chilled fingers.

            Levi can’t wait to see how red Eren looks. Levi can’t wait to see how red Eren will _become,_ once Levi’s playing with a few things other than his mouth.

            Eren has his hands placed cautiously on Levi’s collar, and Levi fears that he’s right in thinking that Eren’s actually _trembling._ He shouldn’t be nervous. Levi might be trying to move things along quickly, but Levi doesn’t feel that he has _bad intentions._ He just wants to leave a mark on Eren, he wants to be at least one of Eren’s _firsts._ First kiss, first fuck, first boyfriend, it doesn’t matter.

            Levi likes Eren. A _lot._ With nobody else would he move this slowly, savoring the feeling of Eren’s tongue against his, his fingers absorbing every emotion that passes over Eren’s cheeks, his collar vibrating with the strain that Eren places on it with shaky hands.

            Levi slides his palm down from Eren’s jaw, and he snakes it over the hem of Eren’s pants. Levi’s other hand joins the first one, and together he slips his fingers under Eren’s shirt, thumbs rubbing over Eren’s hips. Eren completely stops, and he presses harder on Levi’s neck, forcing him to break the kiss.

            “ _Levi,_ ” Eren gasps, scooting back far enough so that he can sit up straight. Levi follows suit, and he gets a good look at Eren’s state - he’s red, but that’s to be expected from how hot his cheeks were. His lips, too, are a bright shade, probably because he’d had Levi kissing him so roughly. He’s not shaking so badly anymore, and in fact, he actually looks a bit more _confident_ than he had just a second ago.

            “Huh?”

            “Levi,” Eren repeats, his voice harder, “I’m sorry.”

            “I don’t understand.”

            “It’s- It’s, uh- I guess this is my fault,” Eren sighs, “I shouldn’t have come here, I’m sorry.”

            Levi watches, eyebrows furrowed as Eren stands up and starts to hurriedly shove his things in his backpack. He moves incredibly fast, faster than Levi’s ever seen him move before, faster than Levi’s brain can process things.

            Eren’s apologizing. _Why?_

“Eren, what’s wrong?”

            “It’s nothing, really,” Eren gives a half-shrug, “I don’t really know how to say it.”

            Levi remains silent, waiting for Eren to speak up again. It’s not until Eren’s bag is full again, though, does Eren get back on his feet and starts to talk again.

            “I told my friends, Mikasa and Armin, about you.”

            “Is that good?”

            “I, uh. Sort of. Mikasa, she’s like my sister, right? I’ve known her since we were babies. She goes to the same college as us.”

            Levi tries to wrack his brain for any memories of a person named _Mikasa,_ but he can’t remember ever having so much as _heard_ that name before. Levi vaguely knows a lot of people, but he remembers their names above all - if Levi can’t think of a soul named Mikasa, then Levi’s probably never met her.

            “Mikasa and Armin and I were at my place a few days ago, I told them about you. Mikasa said she knew who you were, and she told me to stay away, right? So I asked why. She said that it’s because you’re not a good person, which I argued, because I think that you’re actually a really _great_ person.”

            Levi’s chest constricts at Eren’s words, partially out of joy for Eren thinking of Levi as a great person, partially out of fear because this story _must_ be going downhill soon.

            “But then, um,” Eren explains, “Mikasa asked me to tell you what we’ve done together. Which wasn’t hard, we’ve only ever sat around and talked.”

            “Yeah?”

            “We argued a bit, but Mikasa’s right. She kept trying to tell me that you’re a player, and of course, I didn’t want to believe that, so I came here to prove her wrong. But, Levi. I really don’t know how to say this, but I don’t want to be with someone who only started talking to me because they wanted to fuck me.”

            Levi can’t bring himself to talk, even though his mind is screaming for him to speak up. His jaw feels like it’s been glued shut, his head numb as Eren turns towards the door and tries to exit.

            Levi can’t bear it. Eren, walking out on him? Levi might as well have a knife sticking out of his chest, it’d hurt less.

            “Eren, I-”

            “I’m really, really, really sorry, Levi,” Eren interrupts, “It’s just, I’ve known Mikasa for my entire life. She’s usually right about these things, and I’m not stupid. I know why you put your hands under my shirt. I know why you kissed me.”

            “Eren, you have it wrong.”

            “Do I? That’d be more believable if you hadn’t just tried to touch me.”

            Levi feels a flare of anger rise in him. Sure, Levi _had_ touched Eren. Sure, it was without any form of permission having been given. But Eren just _assumes_ that Levi wanted to get laid. Levi didn’t just want that. He _still_ doesn’t just want that. He’d be perfectly fine, simply cuddling up with Eren beside him, hell, Eren can wear fifty layers of snow jackets if he wants to. Levi wants to _be_ with him - kissing and feeling him up had been a heat-of-the-moment sort of thing.

            But Eren’s not wrong. Levi hadn’t asked for Eren’s boundaries. Levi never discussed Eren’s limits with him. Levi never went out and bought him flowers or tried to woo him over - for all Levi knows, Eren might not have any feelings for him at all right now. Eren could just as easily have merely been dating Levi because he either wanted to find out more about Levi or because he just wanted a boyfriend.

            Levi doesn’t know anymore. And he’ll never know, because Eren’s opening the door to leave. If the door hinges were to ever fail Levi, he wouldn’t be upset if it were right now, stopping Eren just long enough for Levi to apologize and beg for another chance.

            “Eren, wai-”

            _Slam._ The door’s shut. And Levi’s all alone.

            He’s without Eren.

            Eren left, because Levi’s a _bad boy._ Eren found out about his reputation, and yet, he still didn’t want to believe it. But for Levi to try and touch him when they’ve just started dating, Levi’s ruined everything.

            It really doesn’t help that Eren probably thinks that Levi only began talking to him once he saw the frilly panties that the boy wears.

            Levi’s not sure how to feel - he thinks he should be angry, but simultaneously he should be sad. Maybe even bitter. But all Levi feels is numbness.

            Nearly his entire senior year of university, spent crushing on a boy who wears giant glasses and reeks of coffee. Nearly his entire senior year of university, spent ignoring his professors and daydreaming of Eren, innocent daydreams that plague his mind everywhere he goes. Months spent downing coffee just so that he could stay awake longer and linger in Eren’s place of work, months spent hoping that Eren would make the first move just so that Levi doesn’t have to.

            It’s shit, that he’s lost his chance. All because of his stupid reputation and his lack of thought before acting.

            He’s not sure how he’s going to explain this to Petra and Hanji - Petra’s a motherly sort of woman, she’s bound to give him shaded eyes and a disappointed glower. Hanji’s a bit more forgiving, but Levi doesn’t want to have to sit through a bullshit lecture on how _everything will get better_ and how _Levi will find another person soon enough._

Levi doesn’t just want anybody. He wants Eren. He wants his coffee-scented kitten back. They’ve only been dating for a week, but damn, that week was worth it. The texts, the talking, the watching, it was all worth it.

            None of Levi’s past lovers have been like Eren. They were all the sorts of people who would be fine fucking before even a month has passed into their relationship.

            Levi’s not even sure why he did what he did. There was no way that Eren would be fine with it. Even Levi himself wouldn’t be fine with it, because he wants to _cherish_ Eren. He wants to buy him little gifts and pet his hair, maybe kiss his cheeks every so often.

            But he can’t do that now. He’s lost Eren.

            Levi’s ruined his chance with Eren.

                                                                                                             ~|~

            “You’re staring.”

            Levi glares at Hanji, but he reluctantly turns his head towards her, away from Eren, burying his cheek in his palm as he shifts his eyes down to stare at the table beneath his elbows. His usual cup of white mocha coffee sits about two inches from his face, fogging up his lashes with steam. Hanji had bought a cup of iced tea, but really, neither of them have touched their drinks at all since they got them.

            Eren hadn’t been the one to serve them. It had been somebody else, somebody that Levi’s never bothered to look at for more than two seconds before.

            Levi was hurt enough just knowing that Eren was upset with him. But to be served by someone different, after _months_ of exclusively being delivered coffee by Eren, it’s a pain that settles itself in Levi’s chest and refuses to budge. Levi, of course, requested for Eren when the new waiter came up to take his order, but the guy said that Eren didn’t _want_ to serve Levi. And _that’s_ when Levi felt his heart shrivel up inside his own body.

            “Levi?”

            “What?”

            “You really like him, don’t you?”

            Levi lifts his eyes from the cup of coffee, and he meets Hanji’s gaze. He doesn’t usually come to Eren’s place of work with anybody, but he’d decided to bring Hanji along today, just in case it’s any help in luring Eren back into his arms. It seems to be having the opposite result, though - Eren won’t even _look_ at Levi’s table.

            “Mm.”

            “You _do._ ”

            “I do.”

            “Why did he break up with you?”

            Levi doesn’t want to talk about this. It hurts to just  _think_ about it, about Eren and his soft eyes and the way his lips felt against Levi’s, the burn of Eren’s hands against Levi’s neck, the rush that Levi gets with every word that Eren speaks. It’s an effort, to bring himself to be able to talk to Hanji about what happened, and really, he wishes that he could just forget the whole thing. Forget the months of pining. Forget the falling out that he and Eren had before they’d even been together for a week.

            If Levi could just forget Eren altogether, that’d be great. It’d be a hell of a lot less painful.

            Levi sighs, and says, “I guess he doesn’t trust me. Said he heard that I was a, uh, _player._ ”

            Hanji snorts. “You? A _player?_ When was the last time you’ve even been on a date?”

            Levi doesn’t respond. The pain’s moved up from being in his chest to clogging his throat.

            “I’m sorry,” Hanji murmurs after a moment, “I know you feel bad.”

            “Hm.”

            Hanji’s face falls, and Levi feels a bit regretful for having dragged her along here. She could be out doing something productive, rather than lazing around with Levi and his depressing aura.

            Levi might not have known Eren for an incredibly long time, but Eren still somehow managed to leave a mark on Levi, a mark that’s been ripped open and torn to shreds.

            “I think we should leave,” Hanji suggests, pushing her chair back and standing up. She picks up her iced tea with one hand and uses the other to nudge Levi’s forearm. “It’s not healthy to sit here and _stare._ ”

            Hanji’s right. Levi knows that she is.

            It requires every last bit of strength left in his body, but Levi stands up. He settles on striding behind Hanji, only a few inches separating them as they move towards the front door. They’re almost there, and in fact, Hanji’s already outside by the time that Levi feels a hand on his shoulder. He’s whirled around, and in a matter of seconds, his jaw goes numb and he’s faced with utter perfection.

            Eren’s eyes meet his, his fingers still on Levi’s skin. Eren’s not wearing his glasses, and Levi’s _dying_ to ask him why, and does Eren even realize that it’s _Levi_ who he’s talking to now? Levi could’ve sworn that Eren was done with him.

            “I’m sorry,” Eren says, his voice coming out strained, “It’s- Uh, you’ve been a, um, a loyal customer to us for I think six months now and, I guess, I’m supposed to give you a coupon for three dollars off of your next drink. Ah, I mean, only if you want it, I guess?”

            “I want it.”

            “Oh. Oh, okay. Well,” Eren fumbles with a slip of paper in his hands, before thrusting it into Levi’s arms, “Yours, then. You can use it whenever. Never expires.”

            “That’s nice.”

            “Mhm.”

            Levi stares up at Eren for a moment, before working up enough strength to say, “Eren-”

            “ _I’m sorry,_ ” Eren chokes out, “I’m so, so, so, _so_ sorry, I shouldn’t have said that you were a player, I’m really sorry, did I hurt your feelings?”

            “Uh- No, I’m fine.”

            “Really?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Oh.”

            Eren looks away from Levi, but before he can even _try_ to walk away, Levi grabs his arm and drags him over to his usual table, shoving him down roughly into a seat. Levi glances back to see what Hanji’s doing, but she’s _gone_ \- Levi’s not sure if she realizes that Levi’s not with her anymore, but sooner or later, she’ll figure it out. Maybe.

            “Listen, kitten,” Levi states, standing up in front of Eren with passion building in his gut, “I don’t care what you’ve heard about me, or who the hell told you that shit. I don’t even care whether it’s true or not. What _is_ true, though, is the fact that you’re the cutest goddamn thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life, even with those shitty glasses on your face, and you know what? Even if I _do_ fuck a shit ton of people every week, I’d be willing to drop every single one of them if it meant that I get to go on one more date with you.”

            Eren doesn’t say anything immediately. His eyebrows are raised, his eyes a nice shade of spring green, cheeks with the slightest blush spread across them. He looks Levi up and down briefly before murmuring, “That’s really cute, Levi.”

            “Cute?”

            “Cute.”

            “A good cute?”

            “The _best_ cute.”

            “So is that a yes, then?”

            “A yes to going on another date with you? Sure,” Eren shrugs, “I mean, I probably _shouldn’t,_ but I need a reason for my parents to be mad at me, anyway.”

            “So _you’re_ the player, now.”

            Eren laughs a small giggle. “ _Maybe._ I’m only giving you one more chance, though, Levi.”

            “One more chance is all I need,” Levi says with a smug look.

            “No touching until at _least_ a month has passed.”

            “Not even hand-holding?”

            “ _Inappropriate_ touching, I meant.”

            “So no hand-holding.”

            “What kind of _hand-holding_ are you doing, Levi?”

            Levi leans onto the table, a smirk pulling at his features. He’d left his coffee on the surface, hoping that one of the employees would get it, but it’s still there, not enough time having had passed from the moment he stood up to the moment now, where he hovers over Eren.

            “Fine, no touching, then,” Levi agrees, “But you have to promise _me_ that you won’t believe a word your friends tell you about my life. At least, not until you ask me about it.”

            “I can do that. I overreacted, anyway.”

            “Yeah, you did.”

            “You’re not supposed to agree with that, Levi.”

            “Too late now.”

            Eren smiles up at him. His legs are drawn together, the sweater on his body falling off of his shoulder and exposing the strap of his undershirt, a stark white in contrast to Eren’s richly tanned skin. His hair is messy, but it still looks brushed, uneven strands falling down over his forehead and over the back of his neck. His fingers play with his apron, and overall, Eren looks _beautiful._ It’s no wonder Levi fell head-over-heels for this guy, he’s nothing short of absolute perfection.

            Levi can only hope that Eren’s going to trust him. Even if he doesn’t _now,_ if he can _learn_ to, Levi will be fine with a few extra months of trying to lure Eren into liking him.

            “When’s our next date, then?” Eren asks, his eyes shining bright under the dull, artificial lighting.

            “Right now. Hope you dressed well, kitten.”

**Author's Note:**

> This also wasn't supposed to have a happy ending, but I apparently can't bring myself to write sad endings.


End file.
